The Spanish Red Cross known as Cruz Roja Española or Creu Roja in Catalonia has recently launched a privacy-focused blockchain-based platform called RedChain.
Announced and rolled out around early February 2026, RedChain is designed to improve transparency in humanitarian aid distribution while strongly protecting the privacy of aid recipients. RedChain provides donors with real-time traceability and verifiable proof that their contributions reach intended purposes and have real impact.
Beneficiary identities, personal data, names, contact info, and case records stay completely off-chain (stored securely in the Red Cross’s own systems) — nothing personally identifiable touches the public blockchain. The blockchain (built on Ethereum) serves only as a verification layer: it anchors cryptographic proofs, hashes, timestamps, and integrity checks of transactions using zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs.
This allows auditing of fund flows and outcomes without exposing individuals, ensuring donors and regulators can verify accountability while preserving beneficiaries’ privacy, dignity, and safety. It replaces traditional paper vouchers or prepaid cards with ERC-20 token-based aid credits on Ethereum.
Register for Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 19 (Feb 9 – May 2, 2026).
Register for Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass.
Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and co-invest in great global startups.
Register for Tekedia AI Lab.
Recipients get these via a mobile wallet and spend them at partner merchants using QR codes. The project was developed in collaboration with: BLOOCK (Barcelona-based blockchain infrastructure provider) — handles anchoring proofs on Ethereum smart contracts without on-chain personal data.
Billions Network from Privado ID — provides privacy-focused, decentralized proof-of-personhood and zero-knowledge verification tech. This approach addresses a common challenge in aid organizations: balancing donor trust/transparency with protecting vulnerable people from data exposure, profiling, or stigma.
As Francisco López Romero, CTO at Creu Roja Catalunya, noted: people seeking help shouldn’t have to choose between aid and privacy. The launch has been covered widely in crypto, blockchain, and humanitarian tech news. It represents an innovative use of blockchain in the humanitarian sector, emphasizing ethical tech that prioritizes human dignity.
The United Nations and its agencies have been actively exploring and implementing blockchain in humanitarian aid and development for several years, focusing on improving efficiency, transparency, reducing costs, and protecting beneficiary privacy in cash transfers, identity management, and supply chain coordination.
These initiatives address challenges like slow traditional banking systems handling ~$38 billion in annual humanitarian funds, high fees, fraud risks, and data vulnerabilities in crisis zones.
Key UN Blockchain Aid Initiatives
World Food Programme (WFP) – Building Blocks: This is the world’s largest blockchain-based humanitarian platform, launched as a pilot in 2017 and scaled significantly since. It uses a private, permissioned blockchain network where participating organizations including other UN agencies operate nodes to coordinate aid without a central authority.
Enables secure cash/voucher transfers to refugees and vulnerable populations in Jordan, Pakistan, often via biometric-linked digital wallets like iris scans for food purchases. Reduces transaction costs by up to 98% saving millions, e.g., ~$2.4 million reported early on, prevents aid overlap/duplication, protects personal data, and speeds up emergency responses.
Has assisted over 1 million people and transferred hundreds of millions in value; it’s open for collaboration with other humanitarian actors to build a neutral network. WFP also accepts crypto donations and explores Web3 tracking for donor transparency.
UNHCR has pioneered direct blockchain payments to displaced people, emphasizing speed and traceability. In 2022–2023, piloted USDC stablecoin transfers via Stellar network and partners like UNICC and Circle to war-displaced in Ukraine—funds go straight to mobile wallets for quick access.
Expanded to countries like Argentina and Afghanistan; supported over 238,000 people with blockchain aid by 2025. Won awards in 2023 Paris Blockchain Week “Best Impact Project” for social impact.
In 2026, Circle Foundation granted support to UNHCR-led Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions (DHoTS)—a joint UN platform (launched 2021) expanding blockchain/stablecoin infrastructure to 15+ UN agencies for faster, cheaper, traceable transfers across the system, potentially cutting costs by up to 20%. Other efforts include “Impact Staking” on Cardano for ongoing refugee funding via staking rewards.
UNICEF – Blockchain Investments and Cash Disbursement Exploration
Focuses on open-source blockchain for children/youth via its Venture Fund (investing since 2016, including crypto). Funds startups building tools for financial inclusion, digital identity, and efficient cash transfers. Explores blockchain to enhance cash assistance efficiency, inclusion, and transparency.
Accepts/uses crypto (Bitcoin/Ether) via its Cryptocurrency Fund to support open-source tech benefiting kids. Broader UN Coordination UN Innovation Network Blockchain Group and UN Blockchain Core Group facilitate knowledge-sharing across entities.
Joint efforts like UNDP, WFP, UNHCR panels explore blockchain for SDGs, including aid delivery, remittances, and climate finance. UNDP’s Government Blockchain Academy (launching programs in 2026) to train public sectors; high-level dialogues on ethical blockchain for development.
These projects prioritize privacy such as minimal on-chain data, zero-knowledge elements in some cases and human-centered design, avoiding full public exposure of beneficiary info—similar to privacy-focused approaches like Spain’s Red Cross RedChain.
Blockchain in UN aid is still evolving from pilots to scaled systems, driven by partnerships and real-world results in crises like Ukraine and refugee camps. It complements—not replaces—traditional methods, aiming for faster, more accountable aid amid shrinking budgets.